A David Family History
by starlight1228
Summary: A look at what Zivas life was with Tali, Rivka, Eli, Ari and how she lived in Israel before her IDF service.
1. November 30th- December 1st 1997

**All math was done by me, the Hebrew isn't very good. And all conversations/thoughts are in Hebrew unless otherwise noted. Football is what Americans call soccer.**

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL NOVEMBER 30th 1997 **

Ziva stirred her Shabbat soup in her bowl and listened as, once again, her father discussed all the benefits they would receive from the security fence that their prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, had proposed. Her father, Eli David the Director of Mossad, had gotten a Shabbat day away from work and this was all he could talk about. Not Zivas upcoming dance recital, not Aris football semifinals for the Southern area and of course not Talis singing competition. But she didn't mind, she only saw the good in people but she knew the bad when she saw it. For example right now she was playing Pokemon on her Gameboy, making Ziva smile and Eli realize what she was doing but her mother, Rivka, beat him to it.

"Tali no games at the table." she said softly and put her hand across the table, the Shabbat candles Ziva had lit ten minutes ago reflecting off her mothers wedding ring, "your father is lucky to get a weekend off." Tali nodded and headed quickly to her and Zivas room to put it away. _Yeah, when he isn't dumping us in the wilderness and expecting us to find our way back to civilization. _Ziva thought sarcastically, she remembered the time she had slipped and broken her arm. She had laid there in agony for three hours before some hikers from Andorra found her and drove her straight to a hospital. The only reason she remembered Andorra in school is because they were kinder to her than her own father. Her friends, when they still lived in Netanya, had asked how it happened but she couldn't tell them, let alone that her father was the Director of Mossad. So she lied. They moved six months later anyway. Her fathers government position meant that they had to move allot as a family and in slightly cramped housing to avoid suspicion. They were only back in Beer Sheva, her birthplace, for another few weeks because of some conference and moving would be much to stressful. They would stay in Petah Tikva until the end of next school year. So far they had lived in ten cities (that she remembered). Beer Sheva, Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZioin, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Netanya, Haifa, Jaffa, and now back in Beer Sheva. The older the children were, the further they got away from civilization so they could watch themselves and not have officers trailing them when they were younger in big cities where one could go unnoticed much easier.

"Ziva your father asked you a question." Rivka said, she'd probably prompted Ziva multiple times before, but this was the first Ziva heard her.

"I'm sorry, dance class wore me out." she sighed and watched her father.

"How is your Spanish coming along?" her mother asked, giving her the _don't cause trouble again _look that Ziva had memorized.

"Very easily, knowing French has helped." she said primly. She didn't let her attention waver as her father asked about her learning Belgian French soon afterward, he wanted her to be fluent in so many languages before her IDF service. She already knew Hebrew (obviously), English as it was a required language, and then Arabic or French was a third language to master. With help from her brother Ari and her father moving them to populations with fluent Arabic speaking people she learned Arabic easily but reading and writing was still tricky, not that her father minded, he said many terrorists had similar issues. Then he proceeded to move to the northern part of Israel so she could learn Turkish and then let her learn French in school. Now she was learning Spanish and was nearly able to adopt a flawless accent. Soon he would make her learn Belgian French.

"Well Ziva I hope you like going undercover." was all Eli said, making Zivas heart fall. She had lived with the man for nearly fifteen years and it still crushed her whenever he never appreciated her accomplishments. Everyone fell silent until Rivka spoke up,

"Eli, Tali misses Ari and was wondering if it would be alright to write to him in Jabaliya-" Rivka was barely through and Eli shot up, nearly taking the table with him.

"NO! He is _undercover _and if it is blown by silly letters then it will be the end of Mossad! Families will think it is alright to violate national security!" he barely even _started _when Tali ran out of the dining room and out the front door.

"ELI!" Rivka yelled for what felt like the millionth time that week and stood up, her four inch difference didn't mean that she hadn't had similar Krav Maga training as Eli, Eli's might be more sophisticated and lethal but he would never use those moves if fighting a civilian, even if it was his wife who was five years younger, was not afraid to use her IDF Krav Maga training and infuriated. The good thing was Rivka cooled off quickly. The red drained from her face and she motioned for Ziva to leave, Ziva hadn't even realized she'd shot up when her mother did.

"Go find your sister please Ziva."

"Yeah if dads goons don't find her first." Eli and Rivka both looked upset at her so she turned on her heel and left.

* * *

The Mossad was good, Ziva would give them that. She had intended to loose them in the parking garage by her apartment but no such luck, she improvised and used a crowded, Hanukkah-is-near-and-I-need-gifts outdoor market instead. Ziva found her sister by the Hijaz railway bridge several hours later. It was quite a walk and Ziva was _still _upset at her father for yelling so rudely! Tali had compassion and was caring and for His sake only eleven! She knew it was Shabbat and her mother raised them to try and stay in touch with their Jewish heritage that she was so proud of, her parents were Holocaust survivors and her mother had made enough money in the Ukraine to smuggle them to Israel, but Rivka had been lost them in the crowd and had to draw the Soviet Unions secret police away from their ship. It had resulted in a years imprisonment and eventually she used her cleverness and seductive side to get out within a year. She made a run for Israel and found her parents, served in the IDF and became an _oleh. _Ziva always found her mothers story so inspiring, that she came from such extraordinary people but right now all that mattered was the crying Tali.

"Tali." she said softly. She saw a homeless man on the otherside but knew he was Mossad, the agents probably knew their hideout but not seeing any threats, kept their distance. Ziva knew that very few Mossad officers were monsters like her father, usually it was the ones out of Kidon unit that were messed up. All the awful things they had to do. _What I will have to do. _Ziva shuddered at the thought and pushed it away. Right now only her crying sister mattered.

"I understand he wants to protect Ari but why can't I ask how he is doing! Dad could use his Mossad officers to send a letter with a phony name and return address. My letter could be disguised as a government one!" Tali cried before sobbing again.

"Tali," Ziva said softly, "Eli wants us to be loyal to Israel however he deems fit. He would probably only let us leave the country in two ways, one being a whole team of Mossad officers left with us or undercover. Remember when I went through that Andorran phase and Eli wouldn't let me learn Catalan? He didn't want me to run off and leave Israel."

"I know Ziva, but what is wrong with liking other countries?" Tali whimpered.

"I do not know, but some you just cannot like." Ziva said firmly.

"I'm ready to go home now."

"Alright. Just remember Tali, Israel is not a bad place, it only has bad people like any other."

"I know."

* * *

**BEER SHEVA ISRAEL, DECEMBER 1st 1997 **

"Rivka I am going to dance." Ziva called as she shut the door to her families apartment. November had been the month that her parents had tried their marriage out again. Since 1991 her parents had had an off and on relationship, two years ago they made it official but Ziva did not know what had happened prior to November that made her mother listen to her father and try their marriage again. Last nights episode had proved as much. Last nights episode also meant that this was her last dance lesson in Beer Sheva and they were to be in their Petah Tikva apartment before Hanukkah, Zivas favorite holiday. Tali had her opera lessons going on already so her mother did not mind. Ziva stepped out into the biting cold of fifty degrees Fahrenheit. She was hopping down the stairwell with her dance bag over her shoulder when a familiar voice called out behind her,

"Wait!" Ziva turned and saw Rashed El-Hashem, her bestfriend. He sounded winded and she smiled.

"You are so out of shape a girl could outrun you!" Ziva teased him, her being said girl.

"Ramadan starts in thirty days and mother already thinks it is time to skip a meal." he groaned and she laughed.

"Oh what will poor, growing teenageboy Rashed do?" Ziva fake whined and he laughed.

"So why do you look so down?" he asked directly, much like everyone Ziva knew.

"My mother is still listening to _Eli _about what's 'best' for us and we are moving to Petah Tikva before Hanukkah." she sighed, saying the word Eli with the utmost contempt. "Why does she even listen to him? He is a yekke..." Ziva ranted and Rashed waited patiently for her to finish.

"Well he is the Director of _Mossad _and there are dangerous people Ziva."

"You think I do not know that! I see the suicide bombers that are barely teens on the news Rashed! And my father does nothing! They still happen!"

"Ziva he cannot have his men infiltrate everywhere! Mossad is one of the best in the world you think he is not lifting a finger!" he hissed as a woman passed by. "Ziva I know you do not think highly of him but-"

"Do _not _tell me you are taking his side on this! After all the years we have known each other!" Ziva warned dangerously, Rashed was the one good friend she had kept over her many moves across Israel, the one thing her father didn't know of. The three Mossad officers tailing her right now obviously knew but they knew what to put in a report and what not to.

"Ziva from what I have seen outside of Israel, things I saw when I was young, your father is very good at what he does. My old country could not protect it's civilians." he was speaking of Lebanon, where he was from. Hezbollah was everywhere there and his parents got out with him while they could, however they could not get relatives out of Gaza because of all the violence there. She nodded and things were very quiet, her thoughts wandered back to Ahmed, who Rashed reminded her of so much, but Ahmed was killed three years ago and her face moved into a scowl.

"What is it?"

"Ahmed."

"Who is that?"

"He was a friend of mine. He was visiting some family members in West Bank and they were near a terrorist camp, you know how they hide in civilian populations. He was on his way back to Israel and staying in a hotel a block away when the missile hit. _Eli _notified me a week later." she spat out the last part and Rasheds lips formed a line, Ziva could not read him.

"Rashed?" she asked, worried.

"I see why you are so upset with him over the years."

"Alright. But I will be late to dance." she said, hiking her bag up on her shoulders. She didn't like being out at rush hour, that was when suicide bombers like to strike and she was scared. Especially with all the threats the Iranians had been throwing around. "Goodbye Rashed!" she called as she hurried down the street.

* * *

"Hah-mesh, sesh, sheh-vah, shmoh-neh." Madame Latinskys voice sounded across the dance studio that smelt of the flower of a desert cactus. Ziva moved her limbs perfectly to the eight counts of the music, loving the sweat and tiringness of it all. Sure her father wanted her to be Mossads next top officer but Ziva wanted to be a dancer. She smiled as the strain came into effect but she kept going, ballet was her favorite dance of all, then jazz. For her fifteenth birthday she had invited all her friends from the dance studio over to her apartment like she did every year for her birthday, but this year the list had been smaller.

"Good job girls. Tomorrow we will have our final rehearsal before Hanukkah break." Madame Latinsky turned and all the girls headed for their bags and some to the shower, even though everyone knew it had terrible water-pressure Madame Latinsky had worked them to the bone.

"Zizi!" Ziva heard a high-pitched voice shriek and snapped her head up to look into the mirrors. A head with smooth, shiny black hair in a bun and dark, warm eyes attacked her figure in the mirror with hugs. Ziva sighed and turned to face Sarai. Sarai had figured out Zivas father was a high up Israeli government official and, to get out of her IDF conscription (virtually impossible) decided to kiss Zivas butt to make a good impression.

"Shalom Sarai, what brings you here?" she asked coolly.

"Oh nothing! The girls and I were going to the spa this weekend! Wanna come?" she made her face look peppy and excited, but Ziva remembered the words she had spoken to Tali not even twenty-four hours ago, _Israel is not a bad place, it only has bad people like any other. _She made herself remember those words everytime she saw Sarai. Sarai was like bad candy, sugary sweet on the outside, but bitter on the inside.

"No sorry. My sister-"

"OMG she should tots come!"

"No it's not-"

"Yes how old is she! She can hang out with my sister."

"We're moving Sarai." Ziva snapped, picked up her bag and headed out without listening to another word.

* * *

"I am home Rivka."

"You know she is out buying groceries." Talis voice lilted from the kitchen and Ziva sighed, she would kill for some falafel, but considering what Eli had done, she chose better words.

"Can you please make me some falafel? I'm so hungry."

"You need to help! Don't be a schmuk!" Tali teased and Zivas eyes shot up.

"Who taught you that word?"

"I heard dad use it."

"I wouldn't speak Hebrew if I had a choice so he couldn't speak to me."

"Then he would talk to you in Arabic, or English Ziva." Tali said calmly and Ziva was taken aback by her maturity. Why couldn't she stay young a little while longer? "Now I'm going to start up the chickpeas." Tali scooted around her and grabbed some flour. Ziva sighed and headed back to her and Talis room.


	2. December 2nd 1997

**The Director of Mossad reports directly to the Prime Minister (according to Wikipedia), any of his commentary is pure speculation as these meetings are top secret (duh...i think). I've never been in a bomb shelter, let alone an Israeli one, I've only been in a cave.**

* * *

**BEER SHEVA ISRAEL, DECEMBER 2ND 1997**

_Zivas POV _

* * *

Ziva woke up with a sigh and thought about what her father had trained her for and her mini-fight with Rashed. She knew he was right about her father, but what did he know about absentee fathers who fought with their mothers all the time. Ninety-five percent of all the people she knew in Israel had stable marriages, Jewish or Arab. Why couldn't she have that? _Enough thinking of that, your earliest memory of your father is him leaving you in the woods with Tali, blindfolded to find your way out, _she told herself sternly.

She aroused to the smell of pancakes and, since Rivka was at work, knew Tali was making them. Maybe she could talk about her mini-fight with Tali, she was so mature.

* * *

**MOSSAD HEADQUARTERS, TEL AVIV ISRAEL**

_Eli's POV _

* * *

"Eli they are well protected I assure you." Hadar called behind him as he power-walked to the conference room, Yitzhak Rabin and the Director of Shin Bet were in there, a Hamas-Hezbollah joint attack threat was just delivered and it was _very _credible. Ari had informed them.

"No! _I _could see them tailing me from Beer Sheva!"

"Yes because you're the Director of Mossad! You know the _janitors_!"

"I'm getting off early, I must talk to Tali and Ziva. Rivka as well."

"What'd you do now?" Hadar asked jokingly.

"Not funny." Eli said coldly as he grabbed the doorknob.

"Look, why don't you stay home a few days? Orli was temporary, Rivka will forgive you."

"No, _I _messed up, _I _must pay for my actions. Rivka shouldn't have to stay with an unfaithful man." Hadar nodded and gestured to the door.

"Don't keep them waiting." Eli nodded and opened the door.

"Director David!" PM Rabin said, throwing his hands up in joy, "it is about time you arrived."

"Sorry I am late, now..."

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Tali's POV _

* * *

"Ziva, why is father gone so often?" Tali asked softly, she missed Eli, no matter how poorly he parented.

"Tali, you know why."

"But why can't he show up for my sing competitions or your dance recitals?"

"He defends us against terrorists, but that does not excuse him for being absent."

"I know. But did he have to take the promotion? Why can't he get a lower job? I want to stay in a permanent place with a permanent family and friends!" Tali cried, and Ziva held her.

"Tateleh, Abba loves you even though it doesn't seem like it, you know once after he and mother fought we danced for awhile, he said one day I would dance in the arms of someone who deserves my love."

"Ziva that doesn't have anything to do with him being absent!" Tali cried, Ziva was suprised how that had switched roles, her supporting Eli and Tali railing him.

"I think he knows he isn't a good parent, he's just to lazy to do anything." _And there is Ziva. _Tali thought as she pulled away.

"Thank you Ziva." Tali smiled and headed back to the eggs scrambling in the skillet.

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

"Tali hurry!" Ziva called as she swung her back over her shoulder, Tali and her were going to be late for their mamlachti school bus if she did not finish packing. She remembered when Rivka threatened to send her to a Mamlachti dati school when she caught her making out with Officer Rivkins son, Micheal. Ziva smiled at the memory. One of the few times Eli had been her father and let her stay in a school where she knew someone. Now that she thought of it she had always known Micheal. His mother was assigned to her families protection detail until two years ago in Haifa when she was reassigned and her and her family stayed in Haifa, they stopped following her on her assignments, probably because they were moved to hostile territory.

"One minute! My French textbook!" Ziva heard a thump and sighed, another reason Tali was not subjected to Eli's training was not only that of Rivkas protection, but because she was a klutz in the morning. When she was a child Ziva remembered Eli would try to train it out of her, giving her agility courses in the early morning, but they never worked.

"Ziva!" Rashed called.

"Rashed! How is your school?" Rashed went to an Arab school not too far away from Zivas mamlachti because his mother wanted him to be in closer ties with his people. She did not like Israel very much, she even wanted to move to a more Arab apartment complex, her husband kept telling her no, they were to stay here. Rashed sighed,

"Mean girls."

"Who doesn't have them?" Ziva agreed as Tali came out the front door.

"Ziva we gotta, hey Rashed!" Tali flashed him a smile as she grabbed a composition book that fell out of her bag. "I'm sorry Ziva we're running late!"

"It's alright. I can drive you." Rashed said, grabbing some car keys out of his pocket.

"Thank you Rashed." Ziva said, and gave him a smile.

* * *

_**LATER ON IN THE SCHOOL DAY**_

* * *

"Thank you again for driving Tali and I." Ziva said as Rashed and her grabbed some sharma at a local place.

"You are positive that Mrs. Bernstein will not miss you in English?" Rashed asked again, it was only his second time ditching class and wandering around Beer Sheva so he was naturally nervous.

"Oh please! My English is perfect! And with her accent who can even understand her? Are you sure Mr. Amarna won't miss you in Arabic Calligraphy?" she teased him, but Rashed panicked.

"Oh no he checks roll!"

"Calm down you'll be fine for one absence." Ziva said coolly, eyeing a Mossad officer in her vision, she sighed, she didn't want her father to come home and yell at her right after Tali was so upset after Fridays Shabbat dinner. Rivka and Eli were trying to rekindle their marriage, Ziva still remembered the fight she heard when she was thirteen, it still made her sad.

"You alright there?" Rashed asked, snapping her out of her reminiscence.

"Yeah, Eli and mom are fighting. Still trying to get back together." she raised her eyebrows and they sat down at a table, she was careful not to get any food on her khakis or Rivka would know she had skipped.

"Tali alright? Are _you _alright?" Rashed asked, concerned.

"Yes, I just, I just don't understand why she goes back! I mean you see what he does!" she almost yelled but then people would stare, they would get curious as to what two teenagers were doing. Very few were home-schooled in Beer Sheva and almost everyone that was teenage looking was drafted into the IDF. Truants were almost always caught here, but Ziva knew how to keep it cool.

"Some people when they love each other enough they keep coming back." Rashed takes a bite and Ziva nods, his father loved his mother so much he put up with allot of her anti-Israel rants, she liked to rant and despite how much it angered their Jewish neighbors, her husband never made her stop. _Maybe there is something beneath the surface, something they don't share. _She thought and Rashed pulled her back to reality.

"My class rotation is soon."

"Yeah same." Ziva said, lost in thought, what could possibly keep Eli and her mother together besides the fact that they were both Jewish? And that meant nearly nothing in a Jewish state. She knew in some countries that Muslims, Hindus and Jews would marry each other solely on religion. She headed back to her school when the alarms went off. Ziva knew those sirens, a rocket was headed for her city.

Ziva ran inside the school desperate to find Mrs. Bernstein and her class. She knew Mrs. Bernstein would know she skipped but if a rocket came down on them, she would most likely forget. Ziva blended into the wall of classmates and quickly descended the bomb shelter steps. _If only someone built something that would block the rockets or shoot them down, _Ziva thought sadly as she sat down against the moist walls. The shelter looked like it was built sometime in the early 1980's. Teachers were handing out gas masks and sealing the place off while taking roll call. Ziva raised her hand and, oddly enough, her mind flitted to the Mossad officers tailing her. _Where will they go? Tali! Rashed! _They blew across her mind and she stood up, a warm hand pulled her back down as dirt came down from the force of impact. People were screaming.

Ziva too felt the fear. She hated the violence and the terror she had to live in sometimes. Seeing the carnage on the news. She shivered and curled up in a ball. If the ceiling came down, she didn't want to see it.

* * *

**TEL AVIV, ISRAEL **

_ELI'S POV _

* * *

"Eli!" Hadar yelled as he ran down the hall.

"Yes Hadar?" he asked, puzzled.

"Gazan, probably Hamas rocket strike on Beer Sheva." Eli dropped his briefcase and ran down the hallway after Hadar. He would have used a wall phone but if they were being bombared this moment, they would be in a shelter. _I hope they are. _Eli wondered if Ari heard anything about this. He would _definitely _ask Ari next time he made contact. He thought of his first 'wife', Hasmia. He hadn't wanted the mission originally, something like that was just cruel. But his control officer ordered him and what could he do? He really did care for Ari, but after his mother. _No! Do **not **think of that now!_ He commanded himself not to cry and, like they always did, his emotions were under control. _A blessing and a curse, _he thought, it had saved his life on a mission more than once but in his personal life...

Eli rounded the corner and saw an apartment block that had been heavily damaged. _Allot of apartment blocks look like that in Beer Sheva, _he reassured himself. But he saw the painted door, it was blue with a bright yellow sun, he could feel a weight drop from his throat to his stomach and he felt ready to puke.

"Sections of a local highschool were hit, the death toll, if any, is still unknown." the newscaster said as it swapped to some older man with too much plastic surgery. Eli let out a slight breath of relief, no casualties yet. Ziva, Tali and Rivka were still alive, _technically, _a voice in his head thought and he pushed it away. Hadar looked at him, concerned. Eli took a deep breath,

"Hadar, my office." they walked briskly inside and snapped around on Hadar the moment the door shut. At Mossad if you couldn't compose yourself everytime a tragedy occurred then allot more officers would be dead. "If a relief worker so much as _sneezes _I want to know if he was arrested for pot at a frat party in college, understand? I'm leaving work now."

"Sir! The Director of Shin Bet-" Hadar called, but Eli grabbed his coat and briefcase, all while calling Rivkas cell phone.

* * *

**LATER THAT DAY IN BEER SHEVA **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

Ziva and her classmates were dismissed for the day once they got their belongings, they had been in the bunker for two hours, therefore the teachers had to cancel any and all homework. Ziva ran and grabbed her backpack before running to where Talis classroom was. Tali looked terrified and close to tears,

"Shh tatelah it is alright." Ziva cooed as her mother ran over.

"Girls are you alright?" Rivka asked as she held them both. "Come on lets go get some sharma."

"Wait mom Rashed!"

"Don't worry, his school was nowhere near the blast zone." Rivka assured her.

"Alright."

* * *

Ziva and her mother and sister walked in the front door of a hotel room, laughing. Their apartment complex had let them gather a few things on the low-risk floors like theirs and provided a hotel room. It wasn't the swankiest thing in the world but Ziva could live with it.

"Oh thank goodness!" she head Eli say and they were all assaulted with a giant hug.

"Eli." Rivka growled and he released her. "Eli if you-" Rivka started and Eli backed away.

"I just had to make sure-"

"What none of your _friends _at Mossad told you we were alright?" Rivka snapped.

"Abba whats she talking about?" Tali asked, laughter gone from her face. Rivka and Eli both looked at each other and Ziva knew something was very wrong.

"Eli?" Ziva asked cautiously. Eli looked ready to throw up or punch someone, making Ziva very uneasy. He cleared his throat.

"I had _indiscretions _with a colleague."

"Oh why don't you just tell them the whole damn thing!" Rivka shouted, clearly angered and Ziva understood.

"They're children Rivka! Can't we do this somewhere else?" he asked, sounding defeated.

"Fine! Outside!"

"No! I want to hear this!" Ziva said firmly. "I want to know why you are never bothered to ask how I am, what I'm doing or how Tali is doing! You never ask about us!" Ziva looked as hurt and offended as her mother.

"We can talk about this later. I just came down here tonight to see how you were all after the rocket attack!" Eli snapped.

"Oh can't your _colleagues _tell you?" Rivka snipped.

"Not everything Rivka. I was a bit preoccupied and our informants can only hear, let alone pass on so much." Eli seemed to calm down but looked rather angry. He looked between the three of them before walking around them to leave.

"ABBA!" Tali cried, wanting her father back. Eli froze in the doorway, from Zivas view she could see a pained expression quickly masked by an expressionless face. He turned back to face them.

"Can I-"

"No." Rivka interjected.

"For G-ds sake Rivka she-"

"NO! You never have time for us! You'd probably leave her in the car or forget to take her to school or worse, train her!" Rivka yelled and someone banged on the floor above them. "Just get out! We're divorced anyway!" she pushed him out and slammed and locked the door. "Come on girls get ready for bed. We're moving to Eilat. Not Petah Tikva." Rivka grumbled before heading to the bathroom.

"Come on Tali." Ziva picked her up and put her on the top bunk the way she always did after their parents had a fight.

* * *

**THE ROAD FROM BEER SHEVA TO TEL AVIV **

* * *

Eli knew what he did was wrong, he knew Rivka deserved someone better. He just loved her too much to let her go, to let her be completely unprotected. So he had arranged for them to be moved to a safe-house in Herzliyya. Ziva often said she liked it there best. He knew he should be a better parent to Ziva and not train her so young, he just couldn't look at her without being his own father.

Eli's parents had both been Ultra-Orthodox, they knew their son wanted to serve his country but the IDF draft didn't apply to him. So he had to volunteer himself, ostracizing himself from his parents and his only military experience wasn't that intense due to his religious affiliations. He dropped quite allot but that was towards the end. Somehow he'd made it through Mossad and on an operation he hadn't even supposed to be on, let alone stumble into. He felt a white-hot pain on the scar on his back and put an Icy-Hot on it. He exhaled slowly and inhaled. Now he had to focus on the road. He'd had officers kill themselves over bad ops that had happened decades ago but, because of all their free time towards retirement, dwelled on it. Eli swore not to be that person. If he died it was defending his country or old age. Probably the former with all his enemies.


	3. December 3rd 1997

**The events in the Middle East may or may not differ from actual events. I've made some up and some I may misunderstand. Disclaimer.**

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL, DECEMBER 3rd 1997**

_Eli's POV _

* * *

Eli's fight with Rivka had been terrible. He had just wanted to see if his children were alright, wasn't that allowed? But Rivka had to throw Orli in his face, no matter how many times he apologized. Couldn't he see his children? Eli sighed as his phone rang, he had rented a hotel room across the hall, he wanted to make sure they were safe.

"Where are you?" Hadar asked.

"Beer Sheva, where else?" Eli grumbled.

"Well you better hurry, the Director of Shin Bet wants to see you again." Eli grumbled and packed his things. But first, he needed to take care of one more thing.

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

Ziva woke up in a hotel room with beige walls and blue bedspreads. She shot up, unfamiliar with her surroundings, when yesterdays events came tumbling down and she thumped her head onto her pillow.

"Ziva." she heard Tali whisper and she rose up again.

"Yes, Tali." she answered.

"Will our apartment be alright?" Tali questioned softly.

"I do not know tateleh." she replied when a knock on the door made her mother shoot up out of bed.

"Stay in bed, it could be your father." Rivka said, as she crept over to the door. She checked the peephole and she grimaced. She opened the door, "Eli." she said coldly.

"I have made arrangements for you to be moved to Rishon LeZion tomorrow, I can give you a day to be packed up." was all Ziva and Tali heard as her mother walked out and started talking to him in low tones.

"Eli..no...i'm not moving everytime something bad...done...stop trying!" she slammed the door on him and Ziva and Tali looked at their mother. "It's alright girls, but I must ask you a question, would you like to move to Rishon LeZion or Beer Sheva? Your father has arranged for a nice house in Rishon LeZion, he says Petah Tikva is out of the question for some reason." Zivas mother asked softly.

"Beer Sheva." Ziva answered,

"Rishon LeZion." Tali replied, and they both looked at each other.

"Rishon LeZion is safer!"

"We know people in Beer Sheva!" they started to argue but their mother intervened.

"Listen, we could move to Eilat. I grew up there and it is very nice. It is quiet and out of the way except for some tourists." Zivas mother reasoned.

"Is it safe?" Tali asked.

"Very few attacks tateleh."

"That's not safe."

"Tali, there are threats to everywhere in the world everyday." their mother told her.

"I know Ima. I just want to be safe, to not be watched by Abbas men every minute of everyday."

"Don't worry. If I have any say _no _Mossad officer would dare follow us to Eilat or wherever we go." she said firmly, "Now are we moving to Rishon LeZion, Eilat or staying in Beer Sheva?"

"Beer Sheva."

"Rishon LeZion."

"Tali!"

"Ziva!" Ziva was surprised, her and Tali were so close, they agreed on everything.

"We know people here Tali. I do not want to move again! Not when I am starting highschool!"

"I hate Beer Sheva! I never want to hear a siren again!"

"You know that's not going to happen Tali!" Ziva hissed.

"You know what!" their mother cut in, "I hate to do this but you two cannot agree! We are moving to Eilat and that is final. It is safe there Tali and I know people there Ziva."

"But _I _don't!"

"Well it's far enough away from your father."

"Why can't we move somewhere near Abba!" Tali yelled and everyone fell silent. "No matter how much you may hate him Ima I miss him!"

"Tali you don't know the things he does!" Ima cried.

"Ima!" Tali screamed.

"Tali!" Ima exclaimed.

"Ziva!" Ziva yelled, just to break the tension and they both looked at her.

"Ziva, Tali, go get something to eat." Ima said tiredly, handing them thirty New Israeli Shekels and gesturing to the door. She was rubbing her temples and Ziva knew that meant she should leave.

"Come tateleh." Ziva said, putting her hand on Talis shoulder.

* * *

**TEL AVIV, ISRAEL DECEMBER 3rd 1997 **

_Eli's POV _

* * *

It had been two days since Eli had yelled at Tali over the dinner table about writing to Ari. He would have apologized about it but Rivka had been in too stressed after the rocket attack to even think about. He knew he shouldn't have yelled at Tali. She was an eleven year old who missed her brother. The fact they had lost an officer to a rare mole had made him yell at her, he normally wouldn't've. Eli looked out of his office 'window' and sighed. Mossad was not going to let their director get killed by a sniper so they painted the skyline of Tel Aviv. Eli knew he was only on the fourth floor though. He went through is planner again before burning it and headed out into the hallway.

* * *

**BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL DECEMBER 3rd 1997 **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

Ziva bought Tali and her some Ben-Gurion rice and they sat at a picnic table. Ima normally made them breakfast but since Eli had been making her more stressed, the more Ben-Gurion rice they ate for breakfast. Or Tali cooked.

"Ziva why is Ima so cranky?" Tali asked so innocently.

"Come on Tali you're saying you've never noticed that whenever Eli is around Ima is cranky and stressed? And everytime he's around she's had to quit her job as an associate at her law firm?" Ziva asked.

"It's not Abba!" Tali hissed, it was about eight o'clock and many Israelis were milling about.

"Yes Tali it is! Do you not remember the 'training'?"

"That's not fair Ziva! You don't know anything about Abba!"

"And you do?"

"Ziva! You know something could happen! You could be assaulted and what if you had no training? Maybe he just wants to protect you!"

"The chances of me being assaulted in Beer Sheva are low and if it was anytime after my IDF service I'd have training!"

"And they would too! Yours would need to be better!"

"Tali!" Ziva exclaimed. _How can she be so immature about terror attacks yet know so much about Eli and Ima? _

"Ziva." Tali sighed. They both shoved some rice into their mouths and finished silently.

* * *

Ziva stared at their plain wall. Ima said she had gone out to request a transfer at her law firm, where they would be moving, Ziva did not know. And it deeply annoyed her. She had originally gone to Rasheds but only his mother answered the door. She muttered something in Arabic before closing the door. Ziva knew his mother only lived there because she had narrowly escaped Saddam in Kuwait City, another enemy to Israel. Ziva bet that she would leave as soon as Hussein was gone.

She had considered Tali but they were still reeling from their fight earlier today. She threw her hackie-sack as the Americans called it at the ceiling and heard Tali singing in Italian. Ziva rose up from her bed and listened. It sounded so beautiful, Ziva could hardly believe it was earthly, not one of the angels. She decided to go for a run, they always cleared her head. She switched her cargos for basketball shorts and grabbed her MP3.

* * *

**So I'm not going to update this one for a little while since I need to finish up another FanFic, it should only take one to two weeks tops! I am also looking for a co-writer for another NCIS FanFic and if you are interested (I already know you are you're reading this FanFic ;) SO READ IT AND PM ME IF YOU WANT TO CO-WRITE! I'm also undecided on whether Ziva finished her childhood in Beer Sheva, Eilat or Rishon LeZion so I'm gonna try and have that as a poll on my profile (pays to read the authors page don't it!) or just review/PM your vote. Congrats for reading all the authors notes!**


	4. December 24th 1997

**Ok polls really need to be submitted! I feel it is closer between Eilat and Beer Sheva than Rishon LeZion! ANSWER MY POLL! Jewish calendar dates from 1997 may not be entirely accurate. Jewish terminology is gathered from Wikipedia.**

* * *

**December 24th, 1997 TEL AVIV, ISRAEL **

_Eli's POV _

* * *

Eli put the phone down and sighed deeply. Not even directors of government agencies got Hanukkah off. He frowned and thought to change that but decided not to. He had called his home _Rivkas home_, he corrected himself, but Rivka had picked up and silently handed the phone to Tali and Ziva wouldn't even answer, she had 'geography' homework. No Jewish teacher would give a student homework over Hanukkah. He knew he had been unfaithful to Rivka and shouldn't have fooled around with Orli but he had betrayed her trust and it was said and done, nothing left between him and Rivka. Nothing she felt anyway. Ziva he should have tried to be a father more, not a drill instructor. He exhaled sharply, _she has not shown __**any **__interest in this line of work, do not push her! What if she decides to later on? Want another Tehran op? _He could feel his ha-satan battling and did not want it to win, but occasionally it did.

* * *

**December 24th, 1997 BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

"Abba called today." Tali said, like she hadn't tried to make them talk to him.

"Good for him." Ziva said sarcastically, watching the last of the television before Ima turned it off and would probably not turn it back on until Hanukkah ended.

"He really misses you, you know." she said meaningfully.

"Tali, Eli is dead to me, I want nothing to do with him, he can rot in hell." Ziva said sharply, wanting this subject over.

"Ziva!" Tali snapped, "he is your abba, do you really wish that?"

"Tali!" Ziva imitated mockingly, "he never has time for us! It is always work, work or more work! Do you not see things beyond the face value! He has no time for us! The only thing I ever wanted!" Ziva finished, her voice having risen to a scream and tears welling in her eyes. Tali looked so hurt, she shouldn't have hurt her innocent sister in such away. "Tali." Ziva said softly but Tali slid away from her and ran out of the apartment in tears. Zivas lips hardened into a line, _look at Eli! He is never here and yet he causes such discord! _Ziva scowled and walked to her and Talis room. She grabbed the bag, more of a backpack really, with her books and journal in it. She decided to go sit by the olive trees.

* * *

**PRESENT DAY, WASHINGTON D.C. **

Ziva managed a bittersweet smile at the memory. She had always loved olives as a child. But she was saddened at how she had taken her frustration at Eli out on Tali, Tali had barely five years left in her life, and why had Eli yelled at her so? _He never really cared for you, all he saw were slabs of clay he thought he could mold into kidon, _Ziva thought harshly, she had never wanted the lifestyle of Mossad. Not many friends, real ones never came along really except some coworkers, even then it would be unwise to get too close, the long absences, it was made worse by not being able to explain them, blood on her hands, and worst of all, suspecting the worst of people and always looking her shoulder. She wanted to be carefree and happy, but as she had learned from many dead 'ex'-operatives, never let your guard down, you're always Mossad.

"Ziva are you alright?" Palmer called as he was wheeling a cadaver out of its freezer slot.

"Oh yes, I am ready for autopsy." Ziva replied, her English still not up to par.

"Ready for _the _autopsy my dear." Ducky corrected her kindly and Ziva smiled, _such a kind older man, unlike Eli. _She shook her head, Eli would not protrude into all her thoughts! "Are you alright?" Ducky asked, stepping toward her.

"Yes where were we?"

* * *

**Do you think I should end the chapters with a flashforward to present day Ziva or not? And I will not update allot until I finish my other FanFic which will take time! AND PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR VOTES! **


	5. December 26th 1997

**I will not update for awhile until I finish up some other FanFic, if you are interested in cowriting an NCIS FANFIC AS TONY, MCGEE OR CALLEN PLEASE CHECK OUT MY PAGE FOR MY OTHER NCIS FANFIC! The sooner I get a cowriter the sooner I update this FanFic. All historical events are gathered from Wikipedia. I also have NO IDEA when Men In Black and Air Force One came out in Israel (or if they even did). TLV is an abbreviation of Tel Aviv. I also have no idea how Rivka David was killed.**

* * *

Ziva laughed as The Bugs guts were sprayed allover Agents K and J by the medical examiner. Last night her father had taken them to see Air Force One so her mother had taken them to the movies.

So began Zivas Hanukkah.

Since her parents had officially divorced Eli had come by more often since Ima had started working. Of course he never made it to her dance recitals, just enough time to spend money on her to look good for Ima, then leave for TLV right after. Tali had started listening to more cassette tapes and so had Ziva, since they were usually left alone. She saw Tali laugh again as the medical examiner spoke at the end scene and then the credits started rolling. Ima grabbed her purse and nudged the girls to the aisle. Ziva bumped into someone in the dark movie theater and looked up to apologize and gasped, it was Micheal Rivkin, the Mossad officers son.

"Micheal!" she exclaimed with glee, and hugged him briefly before pulling away, "I thought you were living in Haifa!" she smiled, remembering their many shared kisses, of course her father being over-protective had reassigned Officer Rivkin and she figured that meant as an undercover officer, as Micheal commented that once they moved to Haifa they would not see much of her.

"I came to see my babushka over Hanukkah." he smiled warmly, his grandparents were Russian and therefore he spoke Russian, and even Yiddish. Ziva found it a difficult language to learn.

"You should come to our apartment sometime! Ima found an old menorah her parents brought from the Soviet Union, and I made you a mix tape!" she grinned and he returned it.

"Sure that would be awesome Ziva! I'll call you later!" he said as he was pushed away by his father and grandparents, _something must be wrong, his father is in Beer Sheva. _Micheals grandparents were maternal and had had a huge fight with his father a few years ago. His father was a high-ranking military official and gone often. Micheal had had a similar upbringing to Zivas, only his mother couldn't always run interference.

"Zivaleh hurry!" Ima called from the exit and Ziva jogged to catch up.

"Ani miztaeret." Ziva breathed to Ima and her eyebrows raised. "Ima," Ziva asked, "how many languages do you speak?"

"Many like you Ziva, English, Yiddish, Russian, Arabic, and of course English." Ima replied.

"Ima, could you help me understand more Yiddish, maybe even more Russian?" Ziva questioned cautiously, her Ima could be cranky after work.

"Of course, does this have to do with that boy?" she asked and Ziva blushed and bowed her head.

"Zivaleh!" Ima gushed, surprised at her daughters show of romantic feelings, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Ima!" Ziva hissed, "people I know go here!"

"Oh Zivaleh, we must get you makeup! That is your generations thing correct?"

"No Ima." Ziva sighed, sometimes her mother was so out of touch, not allot of people wore makeup in the 1990s, Ima still lived in the 1970s. Ziva looked down at her plaid shirt and ripped jeans and Converse.

"Ima can we get candy?" Tali asked and Ima nodded.

"Of course Tatelah." she said softly, stroking Talis soft and silky hair.

* * *

**WASHINGTON D.C., PRESENT DAY **

Ziva smiled at the memory of her Ima and her akhot together and happy, then the pain hit Ziva in the chest like a wall. It was a few years later that Tali would be killed in a Hamas suicide bombing and Ima in a terror attack in Jerusalem, her nations capital, Rivka had only gone there for Sukkot. Ziva took a deep breath so her coworker McGee would not see the pain inside her.

"You alright there Ziva?" McGee asked, he sounded so concerned.

"Yes, I am fine." Ziva said tersely, he gave her that look that was the quintessence of compassion, she always spilled when he gave it to her. She drew breath to tell him and then Tony walked in and slammed Thai food on his, Zivas and McGees desk.

"I brought Thai!" Tony yelled and Ziva glowered at him as she shoved it off of her desk.

"I hate Thai." she hissed and turned her attention back to her computer. McGee cut Tony a look and all fell silent.


	6. Evening of December 26th 1997

**If the blessings, Hebrew or Yiddish are off, I apologize. The Yiddish I used Google Translate and a third party transliterator. Eli's family is 100% fictional by the way. And in the flashforward Ziva's father just died but she stayed with NCIS.**

* * *

**EVENING OF DECEMBER 26TH, 1997 BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Ziva's POV _

* * *

"Ziva, it is your turn to say the blessings." Rivka always rotated between her, Ziva and Tali. She said they should all learn the blessings in action. Ziva lit the Shabbat candles, waved her hands over them and then covered her eyes."

"_Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu, l'had'lik neir shel Shabbat_." Ziva said confidently, she remembered back when she was younger had looked to Eli for encouragement.

"_Kol hakavod_!" Tali exclaimed and Ziva smiled.

"Tali, control yourself." Ima scolded before nodding again at Ziva.

"_Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu l'had'lik neir shel Hanukkah_." Ziva said as she lit the shammus. She then moved to the next three candles, "_Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamin haheim baizman hazeh_." Ziva smiled as she placed the shammus back in its holder. They started eating the challah bread once Tali removed the napkin when Ima spoke.

"Your _Bubie_ Hannah is coming to visit tomorrow." Ziva scowled, her _Bubie _was so strict, she'd never had many friends, let alone meeting their grandparents. She had met Rasheds and they were very energetic and happy! She'd never met her paternal _Bubie, _she'd probably disowned Eli.

"Yes, Ima." Ziva said grudgingly, she knew driving from Eilat to Beer Sheva in the Negev desert was no small feat for a woman of fifty-three. Maybe that was why she was always so grumpy when Ziva saw her. But oh did she love Tali! But who didn't?

"Ima, where are we moving?" Tali asked cautiously, they had never cleared where they were moving, Ziva supposed that moving into a service apartment had made them all stressed out. "I talked to Abba and he said he wanted to move us to a safe house in Herzliyya, then one in Petah Tikva, then one in Rishon LeZion, whichever one we wanted but then you said Eilat or staying here." Everyone fell silent and Ima exhaled slowly, her face contorting at the thought of her ex-husband.

"Eilat or Beer Sheva, I have not decided." Ima seethed, still in a bad mood.

"Abba says he wants us to move to Herzliyya because it's close to Tel Aviv and Ziva always liked it there when she was younger." Tali said and Zivas head snapped up while Imas face scowled even deeper.

"What _Eli _thinks does not affect us anymore!" Ima hissed.

"Was that your input Tali or Eli's?" Ziva asked, she needed to know if he remembered.

"Eli's." Tali said quietly.

"Changing the subject." Ima said angrily and asked them what they wanted for Hanukkah.

"Ima." Ziva groaned, she always did this when she had their Hanukkah presents.

"Look what I got!" Ima singsonged as she pulled to gift-wrapped packages out from under the table with some chocolate gelt coins. One was white with blue Magen Davids and the other was blue with white menorahs.

"Ima these are beautiful!" Tali gushed.

"Open them!" Ima urged.

"Ima!" Tali screamed as she pulled out a necklace. Ziva looked closer and saw it was a silver chain necklace with a silver Magen David. It was exactly like the one Ziva wore. "It's beautiful!" Tali emanated. "Ziva help me put it on!" Ziva hurried over and wrapped the necklace around her sisters neck before closing the clasp. "Ziva's it's just like yours!" she ran around holding her Magen David out and smiling over the moon.

"Ziva open yours." Ima prodded. Ziva looked at hers, the menorah covered one. She gently opened the wrapping paper, careful not to tear it so Ima could reuse it.

"Ima, it's beautiful." Ziva whispered, she pulled out a pendant that was _so _beautiful! It had a small gold Magen David that was inside the center of a platinum, diamond encrusted larger one that had a silver circle running around it.

"It was given to me by your Savta, it is given to the oldest woman in the family.

"Ima." she said happily and hugged her.

* * *

**EVENING OF DECEMBER 26TH, 1997 TEL AVIV, ISRAEL **

_Eli's POV _

* * *

Eli downed his third bottle of beer and crashed onto his couch. His salary was generous but he never liked ritzy apartment complexes.

"Rivka." he slurred as he dropped the fourth bottle he had only begun. He groaned and then got up, he had to sleep in his bed, he had to be as rested as possible so he wouldn't have _as _bad a hangover tomorrow. Hanukkah had been his mothers favorite holiday, to the younger generation it sounded odd he was so attached to his Ima but his generation had been alive when Israel was founded, the older ones had served in the Haganah. They had closer family ties, everyone lived on a kibbutzim.

But then Jerusalem was run by the Israeli government when Eli was a teenager and his family had decided to move there from their old kibbutzim. They lived there until his Imas death. He went to join the IDF, and later Mossad. Only then did he learn the full circumstances of his Imas death. And his sisters. They had gone to the Western Wall to pray on Shabbat and were walking back to their home when it happened.

His sister, Eidel, had stopped to oogle at some Western tourists across the street when those Western 'tourists' detonated a bomb. He had been called by messenger that his sister had been taken to the hospital, still alive. He had gotten in a car, despite it being Shabbat. He had arrived at the hospital just in time to see his sister die. She barely said his name. He hated thinking of this more than he had to.

He saw the wooden box he always kept on his nightstand and toyed with it in his hands. It was wooden and had been stained and painted with various Jewish symbols. He traced over the Yiddish calligraphy, a language he never told _anyone _he knew, not even his wife, no ex-wife, Rivka.

"Er vet gebn ir alemen dir tayve foon dayn harts." Eli murmured and he sat up and opened the box. It still smelled of pine, the dark blue velvet inside soft with age. It had a false bottom like nearly everything else he had. He picked up the velvet and grabbed the passports. Every good spy knew you had to build your own cover if you were ever betrayed by your own people. It had taken Eli years to make Rivka, Ziva, Tali, even Ari fake identities should something happen to him. He told Ari about them, never saying exactly why he would need to get them. Ari was smart, he knew he would figure it out. There was even false currency in the box. He replaced the velvet and tucked it in his nightstand.

* * *

**PRESENT DAY, WASHINGTON D.C. **

_Ziva's POV _

* * *

Ziva waited until everyone was gone. Everyone except McGee, but she did not worried. If she left with the strange box he would be more suspicious than if she opened it in here. He also knew how to mind his own business, unlike Tony the skirt-chaser. She opened the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out the varnished, hand-painted box with Yiddish calligraphy, when she had gone through Eli's things she had found her things from when she was a child, yet she never remembered this. She opened it and found nothing. She still was surprised, she expected something to just appear.

She sighed and was putting it in her drawer when she realized something was wrong. She remembered when Tony and her had been stuck in that crate and that he had noticed it was not as deep as it should have been.

"McGee do you have a meterstick?" she asked urgently and his head snapped up.

"I have a ruler." he said uneasily, the Mossad officers moodswings had been unpredictable, even volatile since her father died.

"McGee!" she hissed and he snapped into action. She measured its outside depth and then the inside. Sure enough it was an inch and a half short. "You may go," she said and he headed back to his desk, keeping an eye on her. She removed the velvet and gasped, she had seen these before, just not like this. Her fellow operatives making I.D.s that weren't for a mission or were researching somewhere for 'vacation'. But these were not of Mossad operatives, they were her and Tali, Ima, and _Ari_. That made her feel guilty, it had been justified, her brain knew that, but not her heart.

"Ziva you alright?"

"Yes I am fine." she replied tersely. She never thought her father could care this much. These were meticulous and someone of his status would have to be especially careful. Even more so with Ari being undercover. She put them back in and snapped the box shut. She had tried learning Yiddish since her father died when she found whole journals full of them. All she could read was one of the Torah verses on the outside.

"Er vet gebn ir alemen dir tayve foon dayn harts." Ziva murmured, just like unbeknownst to her, her father did everytime he opened and closed it. Unfortunately He could not give her _all _her hearts desires.


	7. December 28th 1997

**_Please _check out my other NCIS story and leave reviews, I don't know if I want to continue it if I do not have a cowriter!**

* * *

**DECEMBER 27TH 1997, TEL AVIV ISRAEL**

_Ziva's POV _

* * *

Ziva twiddled her thumbs as she waited in the Tel Aviv Railway Station. Her Savta had changed her mind at the last minute and switched to going by rail at the last moment. Ziva would never admit this to anyone, but she hated being in public transportation areas. Always some carnage was shown on the news of them. She never told or showed her feelings to anyone. She had a few nervous moments when a suspicious-looking person abandoned their backpack but reclaimed it.

"Line 6 from Eilat is now in the terminal. Line 6 from Eilat is now in the terminal." a voice squawked over the loudspeaker, only six trains rode from Eilat to Tel Aviv on Yom Ree-shon. Now began the hour long drive to Beer Sheva. Ziva saw her Savta step off the train and scowled. Her grandmother wheeled off her suitcase which meant she was staying for a week. She greeted Ima in some Yiddish she undoubtedly spoke to her as a child before smiling saccharinely at Ziva.

"My nikhdh!" Zivas Savta cooed over her as she embraced her strongly. Ziva tried her hardest not to puke. "How are you?" she gasped when she stepped away, "we must make you pretty like Tali my dear!" Ima cut her a sharp look before gesturing to the exit.

* * *

"Tali!" Savta Hannah cried and Tali screamed and hugged her.

"Oooh how are you my beautiful girl?" Hannah croned in Hebrew and Ziva headed off to her room, what was her Ima thinking giving her Hannahs pendant?

"Zivaleh, can I talk to you?" Ima asked as Hannah gave Tali a Hanukkah present, she pulled her into her room and looked her square in the eye. "I know you do not enjoy Hannahs company but be good for Tali."

"Why can't I go to Rasheds?" Ziva asked and Ima shook her head.

"I've heard the things his mother says, I do not want you in her company."

"Ziva, come out we are not playing your spy games." Hannah called from the living room and Ziva's scowl could be permanent. Ima gave her a warning glance before leaving to entertain her own mother.

* * *

"Well Tali you certainly can cook!" Hannah exclaimed and Tali giggled. Ziva stabbed her chicken with her fork and Hannah clucked her tongue. She was about to criticize her when something crossed her face.

"Rivka I'll have to stay with you a few extra days, the heat in my house went out." she frowned and Ziva laughed.

"You live on the Red Sea, it's _never _cold there!" Ziva critiqued and Hannah sat her fork down dramatically.

"Zivaleh your father should teach you some manners." Hannah scolded and Ziva's eyes flashed.

"_Ima!_" Zivas Ima hissed, "a word." She rose from the table and waved her hand to the door. Hannah folded her napkin and wiped her mouth before leaving. They started yelling when the door closed.

"Ziva, why does Savta dislike you so much?" Tali asked softly and Ziva sighed.

"Tatelah, I do not know." Ziva could not remember any incidents worth having a grudge over. Maybe she looked too much like her father. "Come on lets clean up, they'll be out there awhile."

* * *

**DECEMBER 28th 1997, TEL AVIV ISRAEL **

_Eli's POV _

* * *

Eli David poured himself some scotch, he liked to change up his alcoholic beverages. Now he spent allot of his holidays drunk because he missed his family. Ari, G-d forbid him to think of Ari. He knew Ari had been undercover too long in Jabaliya and needed to get back to Israel but he had information on some terrorist activity, and Eli knew the Director of Shin Bet would love to get an asset like Ari on their side if he was let loose.

Eli gripped the kitchen countertop and leaned into it, bending his head down. He hated Hanukkah so much. It always made him think of his sister no matter what, which despite their many good memories, only made him depressed. He remembered running across the kibuttzims fields, laughing. Or her attempting to teach him how to crochet or sew or use the loom. Cooking was the worst, he'd managed to light water on fire. He smiled at the memory. But then the bad ones always came in. He had been called to the hospital and rushed to see her. In those days little could be done about shrapnel victims. So he had to watch her die. It only took a few hours. She was so pale, her mangled, bandaged hand was all he could bring himself to hold. Sometimes a dark strand of her hair would fall in her face or mouth and she would have difficulty breathing so he would move it. Her left leg had been totally annihilated in the blast.

He remembered the doctors doing tests and poking and prodding her with tubes and needles. He had seen their grave expressions her last few hours of life. They left him alone when they saw no more could be done. He had held her tight, told her her mother was recovering in another hospital room, G-d in her last few hours of life all he'd done was lie. Told her their father had been on a retreat or something and could not be reached. He had felt her hand go slack and her heart flatline. He had to fill out the paperwork to release her body once the autopsy was finished. He had gone through Shiva alone, his father using his wife and daughter as martyrs to how the IDF did not care for the Orthodox. If anything it was vice versa. He had grown tired of his fathers ways and at age eighteen joined the IDF.

He spent his four years in the IDF before joining Mossad. He had not been treated as rigorously as the other soldiers and oh did it show in his Mossad training. But then he grew to be one of their best agents. Once he had the property security clearance he had looked up the file on the terror attack that had killed his mother and sister. He had not expected something so drastic. Mossad had an Arab asset undercover and he had known of the terror attack. He said he didn't feel a duty to Israel or the Jews to report it. That was why Eli hadn't objected as much as he should've on his assignment to Hasmia. He wanted to make sure such a thing never happened to someone else. Sometimes the public didn't realize how much their safety relied on those high-up in government, who they liked to call fascists or radicals. So many men, women and childrens lives rested in their everyday decisions. The phone rang and Eli answered.

"Shalom Eli." Amit Hadar said on the other end and Eli returned the greeting. "The Director of Shin Bet wants to speak with you tomorrow at noon." he said and Eli frowned.

"Why do you call me for such things and not my secretary?" Eli asked, tipsy. He heard Hadar sigh on the other end.

"Get sober Eli, and please avoid a hangover." he soon heard a dial tone.


	8. December 29th 1997

**The gossip show and kibbutzim are totally fictional btw, I zoomed in on a random (i think) kibbutzim and put it down. Not trying to offend anyone. And I would like to shoutout to Lipush for helping me with the Jewish/Hebrew/Israeli things! :) And the Yiddish is totally from Google so it's probably terrible.**

* * *

**DECEMBER 30TH 1997, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL**

_Ziva's POV _

* * *

"Ziva, Savta is leaving today." Tali said as she hopped down from the top bunk.

"Good." Ziva grunted, yesterdays fight had probably set her off.

"You know last night was totally uncalled for." Tali said softly, she always spoke that way.

"_Really_?" Ziva said sarcastically so she would aggravate her, she needed to yell more.

"The people _three _floors up could here you, that's a first for you Ziva, the loudest you've ever gotten was last year in Haifa when you and Eli got in that awful screaming match over me. And that was only two floors. Now everyone here is going to think you're heartless screaming at your Savta like that." Tali scolded.

"So what, we're moving in three weeks anyway."

"So _what_? Ziva this could be where we live until military service." Tali said.

"No we're moving to Eilat or Herzliyya, have you not been listening to Ima?" Ziva grumbled.

"She would _never _let us move to a Mossad safehouse where Eli could monitor us." Tali explained, exasperated.

"He's the Director of Mossad he can monitor us anywhere he feels like." Ziva mumbled as she set up, her hair a mess. "And since when did Ima rule out Eilat?"

"Since last night." Tali chided, Ziva was being childish and she knew it. "If you're going to get in a screaming match with Savta everytime she mentions Abba she wouldn't want you to be ostracized. In Eilat grandparents are important you know. They are here too." Tali shot Ziva a look that could kill, but remembering what her father did, rephrased.

"Well, say goodbye to Savta!" Ziva scowled, normally she was on such good terms with Tali, today was different.

"You should too you know, apologize." Tali said, before heading out. Ziva turned to face the wall and scowled even more, she realized the more she thought of Eli and Savta, the more she did so. She remembered last night all to vividly.

_"Open your Hanukkah gift Tali!" Savta had said, gesturing with her hands for Tali to take off the huge ribbon. Ziva looked down at the parcel in her hands and the gift Tali had in hers. Tali's had similar wrapping paper as hers from last night and Ziva's was simply brown wrapping paper. Savta had her back to Ziva so Ziva went ahead and opened hers. _

_**תלמוד **_

_Ziva read it and frowned, she already had a Talmud. _

_"Savta you gave me a Talmud last year, and I've had one since I was three." Ziva said, confused. Her Savta turned to face her and Rivka did too. Savtas eyes flew to Zivas chest and she scowled, eyeing the pendant. _

_"I see you have my mothers pendant." her Savta said coldly, she then turned to Ima, "Rivka I thought we agreed to give it to Tali, Ziva looks too much like **him**." her Savta only said the last part to where Tali would not hear her._

_"Do you have a problem with my looks Savta?" Ziva asked loudly, she was sick of her Savta being so mean!_

_"Yes, you never bothered to learn Yiddish so you could converse with your elders, like **him**." she always spit out Eli's name as him, something Ziva could understand but tonight just irked her._

_"So what?" she snapped._

_"**He** is a scoundrel!"_

_"Ima," Rivka said cautiously but Savta ignored her._

_"I want my pendant back!" Savta hissed and grabbed for the pendant but Ziva stepped back._

_"No! I want to know why you hate me so much!" Ziva screamed at her and someone on the floor above them yelled a few unsavorable words at them in Turkish. Ziva was tired of her Savta always treating her like garbage, this had started since she turned six._

_"You know why!" Savta had hissed, making Ziva yell louder._

_"No, no I do not!"_

_"You're so arrogant and cruel like **him**!" Savta eyed her coldly, like Ziva was playing stupid._

_"Name one instance!"_

_"Ohh I saw you just before Tali's birthday party!" her Savta had stated firmly and Ziva recoiled, she'd always hated to be reminded of that._

_"That was a long time ago and not my fault." she told her Savta but she merely scowled._

_"You look like **him**, you act like **him****, **you even defend **him**!" Savta Hannah had given Ziva a look of disapproval before turning to leave. Ziva fumed, this woman dared to judge her on one of her darkest moments!_

_"At least I'm not a judgmental old Kalba!" Ziva had screamed down the apartment at her and Savta had frozen in the hallway._

_"What did you just call me?" Savta asked slowly, a look of disbelief on her face._

_"I said, at least I'm not a judgmental old Kalba!" Ziva yelled again, she was so tired of this woman ignoring her everytime someone else showed up, of constantly reminding her of how Eli had trained her to be like him, of how she always, always had to spit everything wrong she did back in her face, considering how little they'd interacted this was considered a good visit._

_"I have no more business here," Savta had said frostily before slamming the door behind her. Ima and Tali gaped at Ziva. Ima finally broke the silence._

_"Ziva, go to your room." Ima said firmly._

_"No, she deserved it!"_

_"Ziva, now!" Ima hissed but Ziva protested,_

_"No! Eli always does this! He makes discord and makes other people hate me for training me! I hate that Ben Zonah!" Ziva cried and Ima glared at her._

_"Ziva I will personally deliver you to your room if you fail to do so in the next ten seconds." Ima said, sounding deadly. Ziva glowered for a few precious seconds before skulking off to her room. __The memories flooded her. _

* * *

**DECEMBER 29TH 1997, TEL AVIV ISRAEL**

_Eli's POV _

* * *

Eli sat on the couch and watched the ten o'clock news. It wasn't really news, it was like those trashy magazines you would find in the store that were obscenely fake, well this was the television equivalent of it, _Akht Shiodat Akhshio_, or אחת שיודעת עכשיו as it flashed on the screen, was only watched by Eli because they normally picked up on spy activity better than your local cable channel but it was normally dismissed as crazy talk. But not by the Director of Mossad.

"And today we have a screaming match in the lovely Negev kibbutzim Mitzpe Ramon between a possible terrorist and a crack addict, here is the news feed." Eli smiled as he saw an undercover officer yelling in Bedawi to a crack addict about crack prices. A police department had decided to stop the drug trade and somehow this show had gotten his face out there. Eli called the commander of the police department and informed him. He hung up and decided to go out for a walk in Tel Aviv.

* * *

Eli walked down Hayarkon Park and sat down on a rock that was hidden from most bike trails by trees. It was a new moon so he had no chance of being seen or heard unless his pager went off. Which was on silent. He sat and looked up at the dark sky. He remembered last night and scowled, he still had some headaches from his hangover, the Director of Mossad could not go out and get a simple hangover. Not because he was pining over the loss of his wife. Rivka could never understand how many peoples lives depended on his decisions, why he killed, why he came home so depressed or volatile. But he would _never _lay a hand on her. Orli had been stupid, pressure and stress had driven them together and Eli had not been all that comfortable. He sighed and laid on the pokey grass. He looked up at the stars and could instantly pick out Ziva, Tali and Ari's favorite constellations. Back when he had trained them he would show them the stars and how to navigate by them. But whenever they were on break he would hear them talk and giggle about their favorites.

He spent allot of time thinking about things, things he should've done better or not overreacted on. He thought about that night those many years ago, when he had told Ziva about her friend Naomi.

_It was May 18th of 1988 and Tali's birthday party was getting set up. People were happy as earlier in the year, in April actually, Ivan Demjanjuk had been sentenced to death. Unfortunately Ziva was about to have her spirits dampened. He wanted to wait until after the party but he would be on his way to Jerusalem, the capitol, for a debriefing with Yitzhak Shamir, the Prime Minister. Rivka was out gathering up Tali's friends for the movies, a real treat, and she would not be back until he was gone._

_"Ziva." he called softly. She looked up from her coloring book and Eli felt a stab of pain in his chest already, "come, we need to talk." She nodded eagerly and followed him._

_"Yes Abba?" she asked sweetly and Eli could almost not bring himself to do this, he had told worse things to his Mossad officers, their undercover partner was captured, presumed dead, or worse, tortured. But this was his daughter, he could not do this._

_"Ziva, hikr shley, your friend Naomi was killed by terrorists today." he said quietly, as if it would control the damage. Ziva's warm brown eyes widened with realization and she began to cry, she had known Naomi the whole time she had lived here in Beer Sheva, Naomi had been from the Soviet Union and new to Israel. Eli pulled Ziva close and held her, he picked her up and she buried her head in his shoulder._

_"Shh Zivaleh, everything will be alright." he cooed and she sobbed more._

_"I hate them!" she croaked and Eli looked at her, worried._

_"Zivaleh?"_

_"I hate them all! I wish they would all die! I will kill them!" she kicked to be let down and Eli set her down but kept a firm grip on her, he didn't know what she would do._

_"Tatelah calm down." he said and she shook her head, tears streaming down her face._

_"Lo! Lo!" she cried and she started yelling how much she hated terrorists, she swore to kill them._

_"Zivaleh, I am so sorry." he said and she finally went back to sobbing. Eli heard something fall over in the kitchen and he put a hand on his holstered Desert Eagle. He crept into the kitchen with Ziva behind him and saw Rivka's mother, a look of disdain on her face. He remembered when he first met her when he was a control officer and she had made a remark about how poorly the Israeli government handled terrorists, they'd never really liked each other much after that._

_"Good to know I have a killer for a daughter." she said snidely and shoved past them, making Ziva cry harder. Eli gave Hannah a death glare before picking up Ziva again, he hoped one day she would forget this moment, to never know the cruelness of the world around her, unfortunately he had made the choice for her to know of it._

* * *

**PRESENT DAY, WASHINGTON D.C. **

_Ziva's POV _

* * *

Ziva rose from her desk and grabbed her bag.

"I am going home for the night." she said coolly, hoping they would take the hint.

"Wait hold the elevator for me!" McGee called as he ran over too. She frowned a bit but let him on. He looked depressed.

"McGee, what is upset?" she asked as the doors closed.

"My friend was in a bad car accident, they don't know if he'll make it." he said nervously and Ziva nodded, she remembered her school friend Naomi, the one girl in her class who was not concerned with her looks or fashion all the time. Ziva, Naomi and Ahmed were the best of friends until Naomi was killed, then later on Ahmed. Ziva still felt that hatred towards terrorists, for bringing such pain and loss on such innocent people.

"You alright there Ziva?" McGee interjected and she nodded. "I'm here to talk if you need too." he added and she smiled, _he is so sweet, his own friend is in trouble and he is thinking of me. _

"No McGee I am fine, you should be worrying about your friend." she reminded him and the doors pinged open to the lobby.


	9. December 30th 1997

**DECEMBER 30TH 1997 **

_Zivas POV _

* * *

Ziva had pulled a full teen freak out after her grandmother had left. She refused to leave her room for any reason. If Ima changed her mind and moved them to Eilat Ziva would runaway or join the IDF a few years early. When she heard Tali go to singing lessons and Ima go to work Ziva slipped out of the room she and Tali shared.

She crept across the living room and scampered to the pantry. She loaded her arms with Nutella, bread and other small, non-perishable snacks. She was heading back when the wall phone rang. Ziva set her things down on her bed before running to the wall phone.

"David residence." she answered and she heard her Aunt Hannah on the other end.

"Ziva when your Savta left did she leave her medications behind?" she panted while screaming over someone who was yelling nonsense in the background.

"Medications?"

"If Rivka didn't tell you..." Ziva heard her Aunt Hannah drift away from the phone to talk to someone, then returned. "Look don't tell Rivka I told you but your grandmother is a paranoid schizophrenic, she's fine with her meds but I think she forgot them." Ziva heard something break and Aunt Hannah swore. "Ziva, check the bathroom please." Hannah walked away from the phone and so did Ziva, sure enough a prescription bottle was in the medicine cabinet.

"Yes, Savta left it in the medicine cabinet."

"Of course she did," Hannah sighed, "look I'm getting my brother to watch Ima while I go get her meds alright? Be home tomorrow. Shalom," and the dial tone went off. Ziva sighed and headed back to her room. She wasn't that surprised it was the reason her Savta was so crazy but she did wish Ima had trusted her with the information so she could have given her Savta some benefit of the doubt. But Aunt Hannah had said she was alright on her meds. Ziva shook her head and went out to the balcony. It was nighttime and there was little extra light coming from Beer Sheva, she could see the constellations. She had always liked the Swan, or Northern Cross.

Zivas head snapped to the side as she heard a noise in her apartment, someone was knocking on the door. She rose from her seat on the balcony and walked inside to the door. She opened it and saw Rashed, and he was crying. He gripped Ziva and she embraced him.

"Rashed what is wrong?" she asked and he cried.

"A-a few days ago my- my father went to Lebanon-" he said between gulps of air, "a Hezbollah-" he couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Rashed you should be with your family, not me." Ziva said, his family could tell him of things his father did to comfort him.

"Mother- she- she is making us move back!" he whimpered and Ziva pushed him away, her arms on his shoulders.

"Come again?" she asked, in shock. Rashed nodded and she pulled him closer. "She would not, she is upset with grief, your brother is nearly done with highschool and your sisters with elementary school!" Ziva reassured him.

"No, she never wanted to come here in the first place!" Rashed countered and Ziva nodded.

"Come inside." she said, helping off the landing and into the house.


	10. January 3rd-4th 1998

**I've never had a hangover so I don't know all the effects/symptoms. Also I am writing another NCIS FanFic if you are interested. And I would really like reviews so I know to fix something. Jewish/Hebrew calendar is most likely off.**

* * *

**JANUARY 3RD 1998, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL **

_Zivas POV_

* * *

Ziva sat in her room, well her and Talis room, no matter how much she wanted her own, she still had to share. She supposed that now that Eli was officially gone she would get Aris old room but they never bothered moving her things. She heard the phone ring and pushed her head deeper into her pillow, after three rings she rose like a zombie from the grave and shuffled to the phone.

"David residence," she asked dully and she heard a giggle on the other end.

"Ziva it is seven in the morning!" she heard Tali squeal on the other end, sounding as if she has been tickled, "why aren't you awake yet?"

"Tali..." Ziva whined and she giggled again.

"Tell Ima that Avagails mother is taking me home, Ava-" she began laughing and the conversation was cut off. Ziva moaned, school started tomorrow and Rashed was moving back to Lebanon with his mother and siblings. She banged her head on the wall, still hungover. On New Years, she had snuck out with some friends she knew from childhood and they had partied hard. They made sure there were no drugs, as most drugs came from the areas that vowed to destroy Israel. But _oh _was there alcohol. Ziva had been feeling terrible and had drunk to the level of near alcohol poisoning, luckily Micheal had found her and brought her home safely. She didn't even know why she'd drunk so much, Ima would bring home some wine and let them drink it reasonably, as Ziva always did. Something was just _bugging _her.

Ziva shuffled back to her room and lay in her bed, maybe she could sleep off the migraine.

* * *

**JANUARY 4TH 1998, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL**

_Zivas POV_

* * *

"Ziva!" Tali singsonged as she smacked Ziva in the face with her pillow, Ziva shot up and looked around the room, bewildered, "relax Ziva it's me!" Tali giggled again and Ziva smiled.

"I will get you back _tifsh_!" Ziva cried and Tali ran off, smiling. Ziva looked up at the calendar to see the approaching dates, the Jewish ones and the Gregorian ones. Ima always celebrated their Jewish birthdays and Gregorian ones, but she did more for the Jewish ones. Not a party though, she would cancel things so she could take them to synagogue and give them Torah lessons, read them their Psalms. Ziva was on Psalm 16. Her Jewish birthday was Heshvan 26, 5743 and Tali's was Iyar 16, 5744. She never knew Eli's or Ari's though. She frowned at the thought.

"Zivaleh hurry, I will drive you today!" she heard her Ima call from the kitchen, the smell of waffles filling the apartment.

"Yes, Ima."

* * *

Ziva sat, bored out of her mind in her Israeli History class, it really was a shame that she still got the 1967 and Yom Kippur War mixed up, something she never shared with anyone. Her favorite class was Hebrew Calligraphy though, she could write so beautifully. She heard a girl hum the Shabbat tune and found it odd, she rarely heard people hum prayers. Micheal had left town two days ago and was only now beginning to think about how he was. He had left her his number in Haifa, but if she called it who knows who Eli had watching them.

"Hey," Ziva heard someone hiss and she turned around, to see Benjamin Weissman staring at her across the desk row. He tossed a folded up piece of notebook paper on her desk and she turned back to the board. When the teacher wasn't looking she opened it and read it.

_Some of the guys were wanting to go to that restaurant down the road during lunch, wanna come? _Ziva thought about it, she normally left lunch to eat with Rashed, but he was busy packing and she wouldn't have enough time to get to his apartment and come back.

**Sure, **she wrote and tossed it back. He showed it to his friends and one of them looked over at Ziva. She rolled her eyes and tried to pay attention when the piece of notebook paper flew back on desk. She glanced up at the teacher, then opened it.

_Positive? I heard you were moving _

**No, not yet anyway, what's up with your friends anyway? **

_Guy stuff, I saw you at that party a few nights ago, still got a hangover?_

**Ehh, more or less, you? **

_Didn't drink :P _

**Party pooper **

_I was not the one zombie dancing to a disco song _

**Discos don't exist anymore **

_It was Apache, _Ziva was about to write back when Mr. Harob started walking over. Ziva deftly moved it into her jacket sleeve and looked up at him.

"May I see the note you were passing to Mr. Weissman?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"What note?" she asked dumbly.

"Playing dumb doesn't suit you, just hand it over."

"Search me, I don't have one," she said cockily and he exhaled.

"Whatever, class learn from this..." he went on but Ziva wasn't paying attention, she was too busy staring at Benjamin.

* * *

"Oh please, Nirvana is _nothing _compared to Stone Temple Pilots!" Ziva exclaimed and one of Bens friends, Daniel, raised his hands.

"No, no you got it wrong, Nirvana is the best! Come on, I'll put a song on!" he announced, heading over to the jukebox, his twin David yelled after him,

"If I hear Smells Like Teen Spirit one more time..." he threatened and Daniel yelled back,

"Too late!" and the opening chords of the song sounded over the speaker. David shoot up from the outdoor table and runs inside after Daniel.

"No!" Ziva moaned, putting her head down, this song had been _allover _any speaker she came across since it came out in 1991. Ziva was more of a Stone Temple Pilot person. They heard some girls snigger as they walked past them and Ben rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, they can't squeal without revealing they ditched too," he reassures me unnecessarily, but it is a kind gesture.

"Yes, have you seen the new Mortal Kombat movie?" Ziva asked nervously, she never quite realized how pretty a brown his eyes were. He wrapped his hands around her on the table and she started feeling very warm and foggy headed, not like a hangover, this felt good, suddenly she couldn't think of anything to say, her mouth hanging open like a fish.

"I heard it wasn't very good," he says softly, running his thumb up and down her hand. He leans in slowly and so does she, glad she wore the blue top that brings out her skins glow when she hears someone yell,

"I got- oh _shit _get back!" her and Ben snap apart and see Daniel and David hustling back inside the restaurant. Ben throws the ketchup bottle at them, bringin them out.

"We should be getting back to school," Ben says gruffly and Ziva nods in agreement, they all walk back in silence.

* * *

**PRESENT DAY, WASHINGTON D.C.**

Ziva stood in the elevator, the memory playing before her as if the hot, dry air had clung to her skin and Nirvana was blaring around her in the cool office elevator. When she had been in Somalia she had thought of that moment, something so pure, innocent and respectful. Almost instinctively she shut down thoughts of Somalia, she still had to get home and didn't want to be unpleasant. She was glad she did when McGee stepped into the elevator. He reached across her to press the button for Cyber Crimes but quickly stepped back, respecting her space. She smiled, McGee was so respectful and innocent, unlike DiNozzo who usually bragged about his sexual escapades (was that the word?) in detail to the whole bullpen.

"Something funny?" McGee asks, checking his fly.

"No, just thinking," she says, as not to worry him.


	11. January 5th 1998

**JANUARY 5TH 1998, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL **

* * *

Ziva woke up feeling like she was inside a meatlocker, she pulled her _shimikh _tighter around her and shivered, just as her alarm clock went off, she hit the snooze button for the first time in years and groaned. Her head felt like it had been stepped on, then she started coughing, she soon felt like a lung should've come out of her mouth. Tali heard her signs of distress and shuffled out of bed, she outstretched her hand before yanking it away like it had just touched a heated stovetop.

"Ima! Ima! Ziva's sick!" Tali yelled as she ran to her mothers bedroom. Ziva felt so terrible, she fell right back asleep.

* * *

"Ima I think she's awake," she heard Tali call softly and Ziva opened her eyes slowly.

"What?" she meant to ask but it came out more as _wugga_?

"You slept while I was at school and Ima was at work, are you feeling better?" Tali asked sweetly and Ziva shook her head, she still felt terrible.

"Ziva you're awake!" Ima cried and hugged her, Ziva made a guttural noise and Ima set her down. "We're getting the doctor," Ima said determinedly and walked over to the phone.

* * *

After Ziva was checked by the doctor he told her that she had influenza, and a severe strain of it. He couldn't say how she got it but it would be a real booger to treat. He ordered her bed rest and soft foods, any changes were to be phoned to him immediately. Ziva coughed and coughed as Ima brought her a wet washcloth to place on her forehead.

"Shhh Zivaleh, you will be alright," her mother reassured her, but Ziva _knew _she would hack up a lung or her trachea eventually.

* * *

**Very short, basically Ziva is very sick, my computer is going to be taken away soon so do not expect updates for another week or so!**


	12. January 9th 1998

**I really, really want to apologize for such a late update! I was out of town all weekend so had no time to write! Also my computer has been taken away, much to my annoyance, so I will be posting brief chapters unfortunately!**

* * *

**JANUARY 9TH 1998, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL**

_Zivas POV_

* * *

Ziva David awoke with parched and cracked throat. Memories danced behind her eyelids, Tali standing in the room nervously, then running to get Ima. Eli walking over and kneeling by her bedside, he ducked his head and said something, then rose and left. It was like it was in a stop motion photography movie with poor quality and it made her head felt like it had rocks in it, she moaned and she heard Talis footsteps patter quietly, but quickly to their room.

"Zivaleh, are you awake?" Tali asked and Ziva groaned in reply. "Ima!" Tali called, Ima ran in, Ziva realized it was a Friday, Ima would be home from work early.

"Ziva, how do you feel?" Ima asked, Ziva explained her symptoms and she nodded.

"What happened to me?" Ziva croaked and Imas face tightened, but relaxed almost as quickly.

"You were very sick remember? Influenza? Well I had to go to work to pay for your medications and Tali stayed home from school," Ima said nothing else so Tali cut in.

"Abba came to see you, but you weren't very lucid," Tali said empatheticly. Ima still scowled at the mention of her ex-husband. Something was irritating her about him.

"Ima, what are you not telling us?" Ziva asked cautiously, Ima took in a breath, closed her eyes, then spoke.

"Your father and I have reached an agreement, on the second weekend of every month you will go and visit him. We're also moving to Herzliyya when school ends," Ziva shot up.

"No Ima! Everytime you say we're going to move we never do! And I would rather live in Eilat than Herzliyya, it's farther away from Eli!" Ziva spat out her fathers name, but all this effort was making her feel woozy.

"Ziva rest, I'll discuss this with you later," Ima rose from Zivas bedside and walked out the door, shutting it firmly, leaving Ziva alone with her thirteen year old sister.

"So you'll be fourteen soon, it's not everyday you become a teenager," Ziva said lightly, even though Talis birthday was in May.

"Yes, I'll check up on you later Ziva," Tali kissed her forehead and walked out. Ziva soon passed into a deep, nearly comatose sleep.


	13. January 15th 1998

**I have no idea how Israeli football teams work, let alone how good they were in 1998. I can't even understand how American football leagues work, so if you're Israeli and reading this, just smile and nod.**

* * *

**JANUARY 15TH, 1998, BEER SHEVA, ISRAEL **

_Zivas POV_

* * *

Ziva laughed as Ben told her yet another blonde joke, they were popular in America at the moment, he had returned from Brooklyn after visiting his cousins. Ziva looked into Bens warm brown eyes and smiled, then kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"I love you," she whispered, and he kissed her back.

"I love you too," he replied, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands were on her waist. "You know, I missed you while you had the flu," Ben murmured in her ear, Ziva smiled.

"I missed you too," she kissed him again and he kissed her back.

"You know, there's a football game tonight, you want to come over and watch it?" Ben asked and Ziva nodded.

"Who's playing?" she asked.

"Our team is playing Kiryat Gat,"

"Oooh I wonder who will win," Ziva said sarcastically, Ben laughed.

"I think I know who will win," Ben muttered, Ziva smiled.

"What time does it start?" Ziva asked.

"Six PM," Ben answered, Ziva grinned, Tali would be leaving for voice lessons and Ima would be walking her. No one would bug her for a good two hours.

"Perfect," she said, "now I have to go home and study, you want to come?" she asked coyly and Ben nodded.

"Of course,"

* * *

After two hours of 'studying' it was about time to go to Bens apartment to watch the game.

"We can stay here," Ziva murmured, Ben nodded.

"All right, but do you have the channel?" he asked.

"Of course, what do you think I watch every Thursday night?" Ziva asked. She led Ben to the living room and adjusted the TV before sliding into his arms on the couch.

"You know, I could grab a beer from my brothers," Ben suggested, Ziva mocked a look of disgust.

"Eww, that sounds like something bachelors do when they have no life!"

"Alright, alright," Ben compromised, kissing her again. "None of them have girlfriends like you," he murmured and Ziva kissed him.

"Or boyfriends like you," she answered. They started kissing until the announcers voices boomed through the speakers, snapping Bens focus to the television, Ziva smiled, she doubted anyone could love football more than Ben.

"Lekh!" Ben yelled and Ziva jumped, making him laugh.

"I'd hate to see you excited," Ziva replied sarcastically, Ben rolled his eyes.

"Ziva, Ziva, one day you will see how truly beautiful football is," he said faux condescendingly.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I will scream for the goalies!" she protested and Ben shook his head.

"Are you telling me you've _never _cheered for a goalie?"

"Once, when I was at a _live _game, not yelling at images on a TV screen," she said and Ben nodded.

"Okay, but you gotta understand how wonderful football is. Do you watch basket- LEKH!" he yelled as he jumped off the couch, throwing his fist in the air.

"Oh I hope our anniversary is not on a football game day," Ziva muttered and Ben looked at her.

"Don't worry, I won't ignore you for a football game, and it's not like our anniversary is during FIFA season," he added jokingly, making Ziva smile. Ben moved in to kiss her, just as Ima walked in. They jumped apart like someone had electrocuted them and Ima turned away from the door.

"Oh, Ziva, I'm just going to," Ima stuttered, then regained her speech, "Ziva, be responsible and Mr. Weissman, I trust you to use good judgement," she said firmly.

"Imaaa," Ziva hissed, Bens face was red with embarrassment.

"Zivaaaa," Ima imitated, much to Zivas embarrassment.

"You have to be gone by the time I get back Mr. Weissman, which is two hours," she eyed both of them before leaving with her briefcase. When the door closed Ziva looked at Ben.

"I'm _so _sorry Ben! I thought she would leave and-"

"No, it's all right," Ben soothed her, hugging her. "Let's just go back to the game and pretend this never happened, I won't even yell," Ben promised.

"Okay," Ziva whimpered, and he kissed the top of her head. They curled up on the couch together, Ben running his hand through Zivas long hair.

* * *

**I really do apologize for the late updates!**


	14. February 13th 1998

**I know I'm skipping around allot, after this chapter I'm taking a 2 week hiatus (I believe that means break) from this story! I also have no idea what Rivkas maiden name is.**

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**FEBRUARY 13TH 1998, BEER SHEVA ISRAEL**

_Talis POV_

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Tali sat on the edge of her bed, reading the Torah, it was a Friday so they had no school. Ziva was on the phone with her boyfriend Ben and Ima was at work being a corporate attorney. Abba was supposed to come and pick them up this morning, but with Ziva hogging the phone if he tried to get through they wouldn't know. Tali thought Ziva was doing it on purpose. She even had plans to spend most of the weekend in Tel Aviv with Ben, which is why she was on the phone. Tali was only about two years younger than Ziva, she felt she was more mature in a way. She knew why their Abba did the things that he did, albeit she didn't approve of them if they didn't get done, where would they be? She shook her head, that was no excuse for her Abba 'training' them and making them move every year. Once when she was little she overheard Ari and Ziva bet twenty shekels on where they would move and what lip service Abba would give them over it. Ziva had been seven.

Tali popped her head up when she heard the car horn and grabbed her bags. This was going to be a long car trip. Abba always took them through Kiryat Gat and Rahat so they wouldn't be near the Gaza Strip or West Bank. Ziva usually called it out as stupid but Tali didn't blame him for being cautious. Sure it meant forty five extra minutes in a hot car crammed in traffic and Ziva griping the whole way while Abba tried to explain to her why he did this. But Ziva never shushed so Tali tried to prevent Eli from running off the road while fighting with Ziva. Tali sometimes got them both distracted by turning on the radio or she simply ignored them by reading her book.

"Hello Tatelah," Abba said as he hugged her close, and she hugged back. She loaded her bags into the car and got in the back seat. Ziva skulked out of the house a good five minutes later and didn't even look at him. She climbed in next to Tali and sat there, looking out the window at all the apartment buildings. Their apartment had been rebuilt and upgraded to the landlords generosity so Rivka had decided against moving them. For now.

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**FEBRUARY 13TH 1998, TEL AVIV ISRAEL**

_Zivas POV_

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I am barely controlling myself from yelling my head off at Eli. I answered the phone and Imas divorce lawyer thought I was her, and I played along.

_"Miss Sokolsky, we found the woman your husband was cheating on you with," the lawyer had said over the phone, no one made small talk here._

_"Who is she?" I had asked, summoning my mothers voice, thankfully the phones poor audio quality helped conceal my identity._

_"She's a fellow Mossad officer, we found her work logs and she stayed late the exact time and date your husband did, I'm sorry," she had added empathetically._

_"What's her name?" _

_"Orli Elbaz, we found hotel receipts as well that don't account for travel."_

_"Alright, call me again tomorrow," I said crisply, trying not to cry. The lawyer hung up and I had gone for a run. _

By the time I got back I went straight to Bens. I told him everything and he hugged me while I cried. We talked and decided on a course of action. Bens brother was driving up to Tel Aviv this weekend for a Singles Night party, why it had to be in Tel Aviv I don't know. I was going this weekend as well and we decided we would tell everyone else that we were doing a couples thing while in reality, tonight we were going to the Mossad Headquarters. Okay, maybe not inside but we would linger on the outside. I wanted to see the woman Eli thought to be better than my mother. I was also to get on his work computer and find her work logs and profile.

"We are here Ziva," Eli said and I looked up at an ugly apartment building, okay maybe it wasn't ugly, but Eli lived here. I walked up three flights of steps and opened the door to his apartment. It looked clean, an old box sat on the coffee table but Eli scooped it up and took their bags to his room, then deposited the box in his room. "Where do you want to eat?" Eli asked and I shrugged.

"Doesn't matter, Bens-" a knock at the door cut me off. I felt Eli reach for his gun and he walked carefully to the door, looking out through the peephole.

"Why is there a scrawny teenage boy on my doorstep?" Eli asked and I sighed.

"That's my boyfriend," I answered and he turned to look at me.

"Boyfriend?" he said, sounding out the word.

"Yes," I hissed, "can you let him in?"

"I need to talk to him outside for a moment," Eli said before slipping out. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. He was _not _doing this now, but if I go out now he'll just save the rest for later. I waited until Eli walked back in and gestured out. "He's, alright," Eli said tightly. I walked out quickly and slammed the door behind me.

"What did he do?" I ask and Ben is _shaking_.

"Nothing, just, father stuff," he stutters and I exhale.

"C'mon, lets go or we might miss the train," I say and he follows me.


End file.
